Purpose

The Fenland District Council
Business Plan 2025/26 outlines the list of capital investment
initiatives identified by Cabinet members under the Fenland
Inspire! banner. It is envisaged that these projects will enhance
sports, leisure and heritage facilities, promote healthy lifestyles
and preserve the district’s unique character.
 
The purpose of this report is
to update Cabinet members on progress to date and to highlight a
number of potential risks associated with the Fenland Inspire!
projects.

Content

AGREED to note the content of
the report on Fenland Inspire! and resolved:
 
·        
to reaffirm Cabinet’s intent to use the
Fenland Inspire! Programme to leave an inheritance for Fenland
residents after FDC is abolished as a result of Local Government
Reorganisation (LGR).
·        
to further note that the timescale for LGR is not
yet certain, and that although it is currently thought likely that
LGR will go ahead on 1st April 2028, there is at present
no certainty as to the date of FDC’s abolition, assuming that
LGR goes ahead at all.
·        
to affirm that it is unacceptable for FDC to enter
into spending commitments that it cannot meet and that FDC must
therefore exercise caution in entering into spending commitments,
in the interests of both current and future Fenland
taxpayers.
·        
to note the significant increase in the estimated
costs of the Fenland Inspire! Programme. It would clearly be
inappropriate to progress all of the current elements of Fenland
Inspire! although, once Government publishes a Statutory
Instrument, to effect LGR, it can be reasonably assumed that LGR
will go ahead on the date stated in the Statutory
Instrument.
·        
to note that until Cabinet can reasonably assume
that LGR will be going ahead, it would be imprudent to proceed with
all of the Fenland Inspire! Projects, especially given that
frustrated or wasted early costs on capital projects have to be
accounted for as Revenue, rather than Capital, expenditure.
However, several of the Fenland Inspire! Projects are already in
the pipeline or are quite small in cost and low risk in
implementation Most of the projects have already received approval
from Cabinet or Council to progress. Moreover, if FDC was to wait
until it can be reasonably assumed that LGR will be going ahead, it
is clear that FDC would have real capacity limitations in
delivering all the projects in the programme.
·        
to approve that officers progress the projects, or
parts of projects, listed in appendix 1.
·        
that the list of projects in Fenland Inspire! is not
definitive. Projects may be added to or deleted from the list by
Cabinet.
·        
that the Wisbech Chapel building improvement project
is unsustainable and should be removed from the Fenland Inspire!
Programme.
·        
that in light of the uncertainty surrounding LGR,
Cabinet will suspend further work on all projects, other than those
listed in Appendix 1 below) until a comprehensive report is brought
back to a future meeting of Cabinet.
·        
that officers should, nevertheless, keep careful
watch for external funding opportunities for all
projects. 
·        
the Leader will provide officers with an updated
Schedule S, detailing which members are leading on which
projects.

 

APPENDIX 1
 
1.   
Wisbech Park Splash Pad: phase one only
2.   
Wisbech 11/12 High Street
3.   
Manor Leisure Centre, Whittlesey
4.   
Chatteris Leisure Centre
condition survey work
5.   
District wide assessment: new play
equipment
6.   
New Village Green, Wimblington
7.   
Civil Parking Enforcement
8.   
St John’s Chapels, March
9.   
New March Country Park: confirmation of land
transfer agreement only
10. 3G pitches:
preparing or submitting applications to the Football Foundation for
external funding
11. Clarkson
Memorial lighting and planters